Regional ecosystem details for 10.3.8
| Regional ecosystem | 10.3.8 |
|---|---|
| Vegetation Management Act class | Least concern |
| Wetlands | Not a Wetland |
| Biodiversity status | No concern at present |
| Subregion | 2, 1, 3, 4, (4.5), (4.4) |
| Estimated extent1 | Pre-clearing 46000 ha; Remnant 2021 41000 ha |
| Short description | Sparse tussock grassland on alluvial plains |
| Structure code | Sparse Tussock Grassland |
| Description | Mixed tussock grassland to open herbland, including Dactyloctenium radulans, Chloris pectinata, Eragrostis spp. and Sclerolaena spp. Occasionally emergent shrubs of Senna artemisioides and Acacia victoriae occur. This community contains substantial bare areas and cover and dominance vary with seasonal conditions. Occurs on mostly bare areas on alluvial plains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 31a). Vegetation communities in this regional ecosystem include: 10.3.8a: [RE not in use]²: This vegetation community is now mapped as 10.3.8. Mixed tussock grassland to open herbland, including a combination of the species Dactyloctenium radulans, Chloris pectinata, Trianthema triquetra, Enneapogon polyphyllus, Evolvulus alsinoides, Fimbristylis dichotoma, Portulaca oleracea, Alternanthera denticulata, Salsola australis, Sporobolus actinocladus and Sporobolus australasicus. This community contains substantial bare areas and cover and dominance vary with seasonal conditions. Occurs on alluvial plains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 31a). 10.3.8b: [RE not in use]²: This vegetation community is now mapped as 10.3.16f. Sclerolaena spp. and Tecticornia spp. define this variable sparse forb dominated ecosystem. Occurs on alluvial plains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 31a). 10.3.8c: [RE not in use]²: This vegetation community is now mapped as 10.3.8a. Astrebla pectinata and Chloris pectinata open tussock grassland. Occurs on alluvial plains. Not a Wetland. (BVG1M: 30a). |
| Supplementary description | Turner et al. (1993), W2, W4 |
| Protected areas | Forest Den NP, Moorrinya NP |
| Special values | 10.3.8: Potential habitat for NCA listed species: Chloris circumfontinalis, Eriocaulon aloefolium, Gunniopsis sp. (Edgbaston R.J.Fensham 5094). |
| Fire management guidelines | SEASON: Late wet-early dry season. INTENSITY: Low and occasionally moderate. INTERVAL: 5-10 years, but will depend on seasonal conditions. INTERVAL_MIN: 5. INTERVAL_MAX: 10. STRATEGY: Undertake patchy burns in a mosaic pattern. Burn approximately 50% of the target area. Burn with good soil moisture. ISSUES: Structure of grasslands can be very sparse making burning difficult. Areas are prone to woody thickening and weed invasion so it is important to introduce fire after high rainfall events when there is sufficient fuel. High intensity fires and fires without sufficient soil moisture can kill grasses, slow seedling development and encourage weeds. |
| Comments | 10.3.8: Subject to extensive scalding and erosion. The clayey subsoils have a very low permeability are often sodic. Species composition is varies with seasonal conditions and management practices. 10.3.8a: Restricted to subregion 1. 10.3.8b: Widely distributed vegetation community over a broad geographic range. This community has a highly variable species composition with mostly ephemeral species often in a mosaic with bare to very sparsely vegetated ground. 10.3.8c: Only recorded near central western edge of Desert Uplands, east of Aramac. Similar to a widespread regional ecosystems that occur in the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion (4.3.14 and 4.3.17). |
1 Estimated extent is from version 13.1 pre-clearing and 2021 remnant regional ecosystem mapping. Figures are rounded for simplicity. For more precise estimates, including breakdowns by tenure and other themes see remnant vegetation in Queensland.
2 Superseded: Revision of the regional ecosystem classification removed this regional ecosystem code from use. It is included in the regional ecosystem description database because the RE code may appear in older versions of RE mapping and the Vegetation Management regulation.
